Inflatable Dinghy ?

[endoftheroad]

you know its really not that difficult to find a used small hard rowing dinghy for almost free. Like 50, 100 bucks. I'm sure here in Key West this very moment I could go buy one for $100 that's half sunk sitting at the dock. you really should consider giving up this idea of using this raft. try barter or trading something, come up with a hundred dollars for anything other than this raft. $300 and you actually could have choices of what to buy.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

you know its really not that difficult to find a used small hard rowing dinghy for almost free. Like 50, 100 bucks. I'm sure here in Key West this very moment I could go buy one for $100 that's half sunk sitting at the dock. you really should consider giving up this idea of using this raft. try barter or trading something, come up with a hundred dollars for anything other than this raft. $300 and you actually could have choices of what to buy.

Or build one. I built my first dingy, a pram, from scratch, using plans from Small Boat Journal magazine (fiberglass and stitch and glue). It cost less than $100 and lasted for years.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by oblivionboyj

Where is your anchorage?
If the weather is calm up here (Upper Chesapeake) then the water is pretty calm.
I'm not sure I have the confidence in my abilities (yet) to be out on my boat in weather other than calm.

We're on the Chesapeake, too. The raft wouldn't work. What Ann said.

-Chris

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by oblivionboyj

I thought you might be talking about MI, but wasn't sure.
Thanks for clarifying

I agree that $200 to $300 sounds better than a buck boat.
My wife spent $90 on this one, several years back.
It's a quality boat.
My thinking is that for $30 or $40 more (and some ingenuity) can get some mileage out of what I have

To include "My wife spent $90 on this one, several years back " and "It's a quality boat" in the same description seems a bit delusional.

Hope that that belief holds true for you after some usage, but I doubt that it will. Good luck with it anyway.

Cheers,

Jim

[endoftheroad]

This dinghy I just photographed a half hour ago, it sits at my dock.
I could get this for $100 or quite possibly for free.
It's all fiberglass and could last you the rest of your life.
Probably rows really nice.

[oblivionboyj]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

To include "My wife spent $90 on this one, several years back " and "It's a quality boat" in the same description seems a bit delusional.

See, this is my problem with this conversation.
The above is not helpful, it's elitist.
"I don't think it will work for your needs, and here's why..." Is helpful.

Several people have given reasons I need to consider, and several have offered other options that I may look at.

[oblivionboyj]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

This dinghy I just photographed a half hour ago, it sits at my dock.
I could get this for $100 or quite possibly for free.
It's all fiberglass and could last you the rest of your life.
Probably rows really nice.

This sort of thing is helpful

[oblivionboyj]

I'm looking at an Intex 4 inflatable.
It has an inflatable keel and comes with a motor mount.
Would this be an acceptable dinghy?
Why and or why not?

[jgbrown]

Originally Posted by oblivionboyj

See, this is my problem with this conversation.
The above is not helpful, it's elitist.
"I don't think it will work for your needs, and here's why..." Is helpful.

Several people have given reasons I need to consider, and several have offered other options that I may look at.

Put differently, the cost of materials, research and development and labor to build a decent inflatable boat suited to the requested use costs more than $90.
the labour to put it together easily costs more than 90$, even the shipping to get it to the store probably costs close to that.
It's not elitist, it's actually somewhat helpful.

In the same way a 500$ car is not suited to the type of conditions as a 10, 000$ off road vehicle.
However, a 500$ bicycle may be totally acceptable for the same harsh conditions.

Scaling back to a hard dinghy instead of inflatable, 90$ might get you a decent project that only needs a few things done. Getting the best quality in the category within your price range and needs is always good.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by oblivionboyj

I'm looking at an Intex 4 inflatable.
It has an inflatable keel and comes with a motor mount.
Would this be an acceptable dinghy?
Why and or why not?

It's still a very thin PVC plastic toy boat. If you want to use it a few times a year to get out to a mooring....it may be ok. But load that boat up with a few jerry jugs rolling around on some beach sand, and very soon you'll have holes.

[MarkSF]

There always seem to be plenty of cheap sailing dinghies for sale on Craigslist, you could pick something perfectly sailable for $500.

[oblivionboyj]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

It's still a very thin PVC plastic toy boat. If you want to use it a few times a year to get out to a mooring....it may be ok. But load that boat up with a few jerry jugs rolling around on some beach sand, and very soon you'll have holes.

Where are you getting this from?
Is it personal experience with this model or just a bias against inflatables?
Because the Intex is neither thin, nor a toy.
In fact the seller is another cruiser.
The simple fact is that I have neither the storage space for a solid dinghy.
Given that I see so many people using inflatables...

[oblivionboyj]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

There always seem to be plenty of cheap sailing dinghies for sale on Craigslist, you could pick something perfectly sailable for $500.

Beyond my budget.
I made that abundantly clear.
Incidentally I found this Intex 4 on Craigslist.

[MarkSF]

You have not made that clear, at no point have you said what your budget is.

Also the original question was poorly defined. Your inflatable already is a dinghy. I think you meant that you want to use it as a sailboat tender. You also didn't say whether you want to row it, or sail it.

So I'm going to assume that you want to use it as a rowable sailboat tender.

Inflatables, like fibreglass and steel boats, encompass a vast range of qualities. The inflatables that you normally see being used as sailboat tenders are of much thicker and stronger construction. They have points attached to the hull for the rowlocks. They often have some features in the bottom of the hull (my Achilles has an inflatable keel) that give them a little directional stability.

I say a little, because they really still row poorly. If your main purpose is rowing, a hard hull is much better.

So sure you can use your inflatable as a tender, but it'll be a really poor one. You'll spend as much on adapting it to rowing, badly, as it would cost to sell it and buy a used inflatable tender that's already rowable and made much better.

It seems like you already know the answer you want, and aren't interested in dissenting opinions, anyway.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by oblivionboyj

Where are you getting this from?
Is it personal experience with this model or just a bias against inflatables?
Because the Intex is neither thin, nor a toy.
In fact the seller is another cruiser.
The simple fact is that I have neither the storage space for a solid dinghy.
Given that I see so many people using inflatables...

I own an inflatable, it's made by Avon out of Hypalon. Even that being said, hypalon is some pretty tough stuff and I've had a few small holes.